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26 / BUILDING DIALOGUE / MARCH 2017
T he corporate headquarters for Vail Resorts,
the leading global mountain resort opera-
tor, is located in Broomfield, just off of U.S.
36, near the FlatIron Crossing shopping mall.
In many ways, it looks like any other corporate
office with elegant yet traditional design stan-
dards consisting of expansive windows, many of
which face the mountains to connect the work
space to the company’s product, including interior
offices, conference rooms and workspace cubicles.
After ongoing growth, the company has expand-
ed office space. The company’s Talent Acquisition,
Talent Development and Employee Culture & Com-
munications teams were given the opportunity to
design a new space on the ground floor of the exist-
ing building. The parameters included about 3,400
square feet, workspace for approximately 20 employ-
ees and a $500,000 budget. Instead of applying a tra-
ditional design this time, the teams decided to take
a new direction – to reimagine the space (and expe-
rience) as the company so often does for its guests.
To help guide design decisions two key goals were
put at the forefront: firs, provide a workspace that
enables employees to achieve the company’s mis-
sion – to create the Experience of a Lifetime, live its
core values and succeed in their work; and, second,
to make a first impression that is warm, welcoming
and visually identifies who we are and what we do.
Working with design consultant Gillian Hallock
Johnson, principal at Burkett Design, the Vail Resorts
team developed a design incorporating modern,
light-filled and environmentally sensitive compo-
nents that achieved these goals. Specific design el-
ements include:
• Relatively high-density spaces that encourage
collaboration balanced against the need for indi-
vidual work; open space; rolling chair-height white-
boards; rolling poufs for impromptu meetings at
desks; no one facing anyone else; head-height divid-
ers to accommodate some privacy while also allow-
ing light to flow through the space; personal lockers;
and sound attenuation.
• Natural materials and colors were used. A curved
“path” flooring design was incorporated that visual-
ly guides a guest from the front door to a signature
statement piece – a refurbished red gondola to incor-
porate the company’s mountain presence.
• Company branding, including wall-sized graph-
ics depicting both winter and summer mountain ac-
tivities, frosted glass on office fronts that looks like
mountain ranges, company core value logos and, as
mentioned, a refurbished former operating gondola
that acts as private space, much like a phone booth.
• Small interview rooms in the front of the space
allow the company’s interviewers to come to the can-
didate rather than the other way around, resulting in
a comfortable “home base” for candidates, much like
what an airport lounge accomplishes for travelers.
• Small hospitality area for guest and employee re-
freshment.
Boots Construction was chosen as the general con-
tractor. Throughout the design and build processes,
Boots, Burkett and Vail Resorts worked very collabo-
ratively to sift through options and solve problems,
stay on budget and meet the move-in deadline. The
space opened in mid-January to rave reviews from
employees and visitors alike.
In the same way Vail Resorts guests have an Expe-
rience of a Lifetime, so, too, do Vail Resorts employees
in this new space. \\
David L. Reed
Vice
President,
Vail Resorts
ELEMENTS End User
Rendering depicts Vail Resorts’ reimagined space in Broomfield.